News & Politics

If you’re not reading DARYL CAGLE’S CARTOON WEBLOG, you really ought to start. The latest news on the Cartoon Riots and all the most relevant political cartoons regarding any madness in the world can be found there.

First, credit where credit is due…much of this post is ripped from an MSNBC blog called DARYL CAGLE’S CARTOON WEBLOG. What follows here is a sort of Cliff’s Notes of all his hard work. If you want the links and a more in-depth look at the story you have to go to his blog and generate hits for him. Thanks!

A protester demonstrates in front of the French Embassy, over the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, which were published after a Danish newspaper editor issued an invitation to cartoonists to submit drawings of the Prophet. The cartoons have sparked outrage across the Islamic world, although Britain’s normally provocative newspapers have so far refused to publish them.

HERE are the original 12 offending cartoons. Very tame by our standards.

Bangladeshi activists from Oikya Jote, one of two Islamic parties in the Bangladeshi government’s four party coalition, burn a Danish flag during a protest in Dhaka as riot police approach. Appeals for calm in the furor over cartoons went unheeded as police shot dead four more protesters during rioting in Afghanistan.

A French newspaper reprinted the Jyllands Posten caricatures of Muhammad yesterday.
The paper ran a Headline that read, “Yes, we have the right to caricature God” with a cartoon of Buddhist, Christian, Jewish and Muslim gods floating on a cloud, with the Christian god saying, “Don’t complain, Muhammad, we’ve all been caricatured here.”

” … decided to remove Jacques Lefranc as managing director of the publication as a powerful sign of respect for the intimate beliefs and convictions of every individual. We express our regrets to the Muslim community and all people who were shocked by the publication.”

Journalists at France Soir disagreed with the firing in a front-page editorial that read in part:

“Religious freedom gives people the right to practice their faith or not, but should not become a means to impose the rules of a single religion on society as a whole.”

The USA took a position on the Muhammad cartoon controversy, on the side of the offended Muslim countries. Reuters quotes State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper:

“These cartoons are indeed offensive to the belief of Muslims. We all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable.”

Reuters went on to note:

American Muslims welcomed the U.S. position, although it stopped short of urging American media not to republish the cartoons that include depicting Mohammad as a terrorist. Cooper said he had no comment as to why the United States chose to pass judgment in a dispute that ostensibly does not involve America … The U.S. response contrasted with European governments, which have tended to acknowledge the tension between free speech and respect for religion but have generally accepted the newspapers’ rights to print the cartoons.

By Feb 6th four had died in Afghanistan as security forces opened fire on demonstrators. At violent protests in Iran the Austrian embassy was pelted with Molotov cocktails and stones. Iran withdrew its ambassador from Denmark and blocked the import of Danish goods.

A 14-year-old boy was shot and killed in a cartoon protest in Somalia as demonstrators hurled stones at international aid groups. The biggest city in Indian Kashmir shut down all shops for a day of protest as crowds filled the streets, burned Danish flags and hurled rocks at cars. Street protesters in Indonesia threw rocks at a Danish consulate. Muslim leaders in Australia demanded that the News Corporation apologize for printing the cartoons.

On Tuesday crowds of demonstrators clashed with police near Bagram, Afghanistan as cartoon protesters tried to break into a US base. Some of the protesters shot at the base, and police shot back. Four people were killed and 19 injured. There were more protests at embassies in Iran, Indonesia and Afghanistan with rock throwing and burning Danish flags.

A Danish lawyer was shot and killed in Moscow by a man from the Muslim Caucasus region of Russia, and the killing was attributed to the cartoons. The Prime Minister of the Russian state of Chechnya announced that Danish humanitarian organizations would be expelled from the state.

For my thoughts on why a comic book (which is different than a cartoon) would incite such anger, in this case in the Muslim world where terrorists amazingly do not, please see my old, and only barely relevant post COMICS! PERFECT FOR PROPAGANDA!!

So let me get this straight. The old Majority Leader is being investigated for ethics violations; Rep. Randy Cunningham, R-Calif., has resigned and been convicted; Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, faces scrutiny in a wide-ranging congressional corruption investigation symbolized by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff (a scandal which is most definitely a Republican affair, despite what WASHINGTON POST public editor Deborah Howell said); there’s still some very reasonable lingering doubts about irregularities during the 2000 election, even a few grumblings about the 2004 election; the Donkeys are calling the Elephants a “Culture of Corruption” and now, during the vote for a new, ethical leader that will shine out like a bold and honest beacon for the Grand Old Party to steer clear of the rocks by, the first count shows more votes cast than Republicans present!

Wow. That’s… I… I mean… well, I’m speechless. As Jon Stewert said, “It’s not that you can’t make this stuff up, it’s that you wished you had to.”

Apparently it was Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, who lost a vote in the second round of counting, allowing for the win of Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio… for what that’s worth.

Rep. John Boehner, left, stands with Rep. Roy Blunt, after Boehner was elected House Majority leader. Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006, in Washington DC.

Although, the reality of it isn’t nearly as fun as my wacko, leftist accusations. Here’s the reason the AP reported for the overage…

“Blunt’s position as temporary majority leader had made him the front-runner, but he ended seven votes short of the necessary majority on a first-round secret ballot. He had 110 votes and Boehner had 79, followed by Shadegg with 40 and Rep. Jim Ryun of Kansas, who was not an announced candidate, with two. After Shadegg and Ryun dropped out, Boehner won his second-ballot victory, defeating Blunt on a 122-109 vote.”

“…the first vote resulted in a wacky mix-up wherein nobody was sure whether they had the correct number of ballots.” Check out that entry for a fantastic rundown on our new House Majority Leader’s ties to lobbyists by the way.

Something else I’ve read is, “Apparently the confusion was whether or not a Representative from Puerto Rico was entitled to vote (they were).” But I have no decent source for this one.

Still, whether someone is stacking the ballot box or it’s all just an honest mistake, the message here is clear (and repeatedly born out by recent events)… REPUBLICANS CAN’T RUN AN ELECTION FOR SHIT!!

Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.) supported government contracts for a defense firm with whose president he has had personal dealings. One of these dealings included buying a Duke home at a wildly inflated price.

Meanwhile in other news regarding the party of morality and strong Christian values, Alberto Gonzales testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee to defend the NSA’s wiretaps today. Once the hearings started, the committee agreed on a party-line vote not to put Gonzales under oath. Because, I mean… why would he lie? THINK PROGRESS has the transcript.

The last case Albert Gonzales defended. His client wasn’t the naked guy.

And as a final parting shot I’ll leave you with this transcript from CNN, which has nothing to do with Republican corruption in the slightest…

“KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Defense Secretary Donald Ru right now speaking before the National Press Club newsmaker luncheon. But it was just a few minutes ago he was interrupted by an anti-war protester. He had just been asked a question, where is Osama bin Laden? This is what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thousands are coming this weekend!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secretary Rumsfeld, I’m sorry your First Amendment rights were not respected at the National Press Club.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take this program with you! You are torturing people!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anyway, secretary…

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This world needs to wake up and stop this war, this criminal war! You are a war criminal!

“No one resisted. That�s for sure. They had police dogs raiding the crowd of people and I saw a dog signal out a guy who obviously had some drugs on him. The soldiers attacked the guy (4 of them on 1), and kicked him a few times in the ribs and had their knees in his back and sides. As they were cuffing him, there was about 1000 kids trying to leave in the backdrop, peacefully. Next thing I know, A can of fucking TEAR GAS is launched into the crowd. People are running and screaming at this point. Girls are crying, guys are cussing� bad scene.”

Click here for video footage of the bust and a PDF of the Sheriff’s report.

“The police confiscated 3 video tapes in total. People were trying to document what was happening out there. The police saw one guy filming and ran after him, tackled him and his camera fell, and luckily.. his friend grabbed it and ran and got away. priceless footage. That�s not all though. Out of 1,500 people, there�s sure to be more footage.”

“The police were rounding up the staff of the party and the main promoter went up to them with the permit for the show and said �here, I have the permit.� The police then said, �no you don�t� and ripped the permit out of his hand. Then, they put an assault rifle to his forehead and said �get the fuck out of here right now.�”

Meanwhile, that same night (August 20, 2005) in Colorado, Hunter S. Thompson, a fallen soldier in the war against hypocrisy, fascism and boredom, had his ashes launched out of a cannon. Militarism abounds, Soldier’s in Utah play with their guns, stroking their barrels, busting hot little pieces of terrorist rave candy (badges and faces covered) while Thompson mocks them, even in death, with the biggest dick of all.